Cable-driving arrangement of a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A cable-driving arrangement of a vehicle includes a cable main body. The cable main body is composed of a plurality of unit filaments, and distal ends of the unit filaments are melted to be integral to form a melted end. The cable main body is for being relatively positionably disposed on a vehicle with a portion near the melted end.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a driving system, and more particularlyto a cable-driving arrangement of a vehicle.

Description of the Prior Art

Conventionally, a cable is often used in a brake system or atransmission system. As disclosed in TWM 365315 and TW 225222, the cableused in a vehicle is composed of a plurality of filaments, and the cableis cut into different lengths according to various requirements.However, once the cable is cut, a distal end of the cable is sharp andbifurcates easily. When the cable is disposed through an outer tube, thefilaments which are sharp bifurcate easily and may insert into the outertube; therefore, it is difficult to assemble the cable, and the outertube may be damaged.

In addition, another cable is disclosed in TWM 362811. After the cableis fixedly clamped on a brake or an engaging mechanism of atransmission, the exposed and sharp distal end of the cable is sleevedwith a metal sheath, and the metal sheath is pressed to restrain thedistal end of the cable to prevent damage. However, a user needs spendtime and money to purchase and assemble the metal sheath, and when thedistal end of the cable is pressed, the filaments may bifurcate anddamage the cable.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The major object of the present invention is to provide a cable-drivingarrangement of a vehicle. A distal end of a cable main body, which iscomposed of a plurality of unit filaments, forms a melted end for beingsmoothly disposed through an outer tube and avoiding inserting into anouter tube, and the distal end is melted integrally in one piece toenhance the connection of the unit filaments of the cable main body.

To achieve the above and other objects, a cable-driving arrangement of avehicle is provided, including a cable main body. The cable main body iscomposed of a plurality of unit filaments, and distal ends of the unitfilaments are melted to be integral to form a melted end. The cable mainbody is for being relatively positionably disposed on a vehicle with aportion near the melted end.

The present invention will become more obvious from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferredembodiment(s) in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a breakdown drawing of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2A is an enlarged drawing of a cable main body according to thepreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a drawing showing a part of a restraining mechanism accordingto the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3 to 5 are drawings showing the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention in use;

FIGS. 6 to 8 are partial cross-sectional drawings showing the presentinvention in different types; and

FIG. 9 is a drawing showing another preferred embodiment of the presentinvention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be clearer from the following descriptionwhen viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, forpurpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordancewith the present invention.

Please refer to FIGS. 1, 2, 2A, 2B, 3 and 4 for a preferred embodimentof a cable-driving arrangement of a vehicle of the present invention.The cable-driving arrangement includes a cable main body 10. The cablemain body 10 is composed of a plurality of unit filaments 11 (the unitfilaments may be twisted or stuck together, and the unit filament may bemade of a metal or a composite material), and distal ends of the unitfilaments 11 are melted to be integral to form a melted end 12. Thecable main body 10 is for being relatively positionably disposed on avehicle (for example, a bicycle or a motorcycle) with a portion near themelted end 12.

Specifically, the cable-driving arrangement may further include anactuated mechanism 20 and an operating mechanism 30. The cable main body10 is comovably fixedly connected with between the actuated mechanism 20and the operating mechanism 30. The operating mechanism 30 can beoperated to drive the cable main body 10 to actuate the actuatedmechanism 20. In this embodiment, the actuated mechanism 20 is a brakedevice assembled on a bicycle (as shown in FIG. 3), and the operatingmechanism 30 may be a lever assembled on the bicycle. The actuatedmechanism 20 may also be a transmission device (as shown in FIG. 5). Thecable main body 10 is fixedly clamped by a restraining mechanism 21 ofthe actuated mechanism 20, and the melted end is located outside therestraining mechanism 21.

The melted end 12 can prevent the unit filaments 11 from separating frombifurcating and inserting into an outer tube 40. An outer surface of themelted end 12 is a continuously curved smooth face 121 which allows thecable main body 10 to be disposed through the outer tube 40 smoothly.The cable main body 10 further includes a filament gather section 13,and the melted end 12 is enlarged relative to the filament gathersection 13 and integrally connected with an end of the filament gathersection 13. A side of the melted end 12 radially exceeds beyond thefilament gather section 13 in a predetermined distance d (as shown inFIG. 6), and the predetermined distance d is preferably between 0.3 to1.5 times a diameter of the unit filament 11 so as to prevent abrasionbetween the filament gather section 13 having the relatively smallerdiameter and the outer tube 40.

Preferably, an extent L of the melted end 12 along a longitudinaldirection of the cable main body 10 is between 1 to 5 times the diameterof the unit filament 11. In a lengthwise cross-sectional profile of themelted end 12, the filament gather section 13 and the melted end 12adjoin each other to form an outer adjoining edge 14 and an inneradjoining face 15 (as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8). The melted end 12 furtherincludes a distal end face 122, and a dimension from the inner adjoiningface 15 to the distal end face 122 is preferably between 0.5 to 8 timesthe diameter of the unit filament 11 (preferably greater than or equalto the diameter of the unit filament 11) in accordance with differentdimensions of unit filaments 11 so as to enhance the connection of theunit filaments 11 of the cable main body 10. The distal end face 122 ispart of a ball surface and the endmost surface of the cable main body10. A diameter of the melted end 12 is smaller than 1.5 times a diameterof the filament gather section 13.

In addition, please further refer to FIG. 9. The melted end 12 can besleeved with a sheath 50, for example, a metal sheath. An inner wall ofthe sheath 50 includes a restraining portion 51 which is interferablewith the melted end 12 in the longitudinal direction of the cable mainbody 10. The restraining portion 51 may be formed through pressing thesheath 50 from outside to make the inner wall of the sheath 50 protrudeinward, so the cable main body 10 and the sheath 50 are restraininglyassembled with each other without the sheath 50 being pressed hardly tosnap the cable main body 10. Therefore, the cable main body 10 will notbe damaged, and the unit filaments 11 will not bifurcate.

Given the above, a distal end of the cable-driving arrangement is amelted end which can be disposed through an outer tube smoothly toprevent from inserting into the outer tube. The distal end is meltedintegrally in one piece to enhance the connection of the unit filamentsof the cable main body.

In addition, the melted end can be further sleeved with a sheath whichcan restrain the melted end without damaging the cable main body.

While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the artthat further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope ofthe present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cable-driving arrangement of a vehicle,including: a cable main body, composed of a plurality of unit filaments,the unit filaments being made of metal twisted together, distal ends ofthe unit filaments melted in one piece to form a melted end, the cablemain body for being relatively positionably disposed on a vehicle with aportion near the melted end; wherein the melted end includes a distalend face which is a part of a ball surface and is the endmost surface ofthe cable main body; wherein the cable main body further includes afilament gather section, and the melted end is enlarged relative to thefilament gather section and integrally connected with an end of thefilament gather section; wherein a diameter of the melted end is smallerthan 1.5 times a diameter of the filament gather section.
 2. Thecable-driving arrangement of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of themelted end is a continuously curved smooth face.
 3. The cable-drivingarrangement of claim 1, wherein a side of the melted end radiallyexceeds beyond the filament gather section in a predetermined distance,and the predetermined distance is between 0.3 to 1.5 times a diameter ofthe unit filament.
 4. The cable-driving arrangement of claim 1, whereinin a lengthwise cross-sectional profile of the melted end, the filamentgather section and the melted end adjoin each other to form an outeradjoining edge and an inner adjoining face.
 5. The cable-drivingarrangement of claim 4, wherein a dimension from the inner adjoiningface to the distal end face is between 0.5 to 8 times a diameter of theunit filament.
 6. The cable-driving arrangement of claim 1, wherein anextent of the melted end along a longitudinal direction of the cablemain body is between 1 to 5 times a diameter of the unit filament. 7.The cable-driving arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cable main body iscomovably fixedly connected with an actuated mechanism.
 8. Thecable-driving arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cable main body iscomovably fixedly connected with an operating mechanism.
 9. Thecable-driving arrangement of claim 1, wherein the melted end is furthersleeved with a sheath, and an inner wall of the sheath includes arestraining portion which is interferable with the melted end in alongitudinal direction of the cable main body.